Strong Voices

Brodie’s at his beach; Norman is looking after the hens; and Kelvin is working on a project.

It’s a good life for these three men at their rural Mill Road home in Myross Bush near Invercargill, alongside an IDEA Services team who are ingenious in finding the best possible ways to support the men.How many people have their own private beach built for them? Brodie Reynolds does. He loves the beach, but going there makes him very anxious.

“We got a truckload of sand delivered,” says Service Manager Lara Taane. “He has got a beach umbrella; he has got his buckets and spades; he has got everything apart from the waves.”

Brodie’s team worked together to enable him to also experience the feel of water at his beach. They hooked up an unused kitchen bench and sink for running water. Brodie can use this sensory area whenever he feels like it.

Norman Bennett, meanwhile, has been providing up to three dozen eggs a week to IDEA Services residences around Invercargill. He has a lot of experience looking after hens, and after a break is back again with more hens supplied by the IHC Invercargill Association.

He feeds them twice a day and collects the eggs morning and night, boxing them up for delivery.

Norman enjoys spending time with his mum and being a part of the Filipino community.

Kelvin Lott likes things a bit quieter.

“Kelvin enjoys his own company. He lives in an attached bedsit. This enables him to choose when he joins his flatmates in the main house or enjoy time in his area listening to his music, shows and radio. He can do this independently by directing his Alexa,” Lara says.

“Kelvin enjoys walking and going out and about. He loves shopping,” she says. “Kelvin is also a member of the Invercargill Blind Foundation and goes there regularly to different programmes.”

Kelvin’s parents live a couple of hours away and he enjoys going to their farm for lunch with a support worker, going to church, visiting friends and spending time with his sisters. He likes working with his hands and has completed small woodworking projects with his friend Nick from another home.

The men are supported by a team of seven IDEA Services staff, some of whom have been at Mill Road for a very long time. Rob Bungard has clocked up 23 years, John Sharkey 15 years, Verena Plato 13 years, Jason Plunkett 9 years, Nigel Henry 8 years, Chris Hurano 4 years and Bronwyn Carron 2 years.

Mill Road, a farmlet at Myross Bush, is part of a small rural community about 10 minutes north-east of Invercargill. The house and section are surrounded by a fence so the residents can come and go safely from the house and around the fields. There are two paddocks and a shed for the hens.

The property has a mini golf course with bunkers and has in the past hosted a golf tournament and barbeque for other IDEA Services residents.

Lara says it’s a very special place. “You go out there in the morning and the tuis are in the trees. For a house that can be chaotic, it’s a very peaceful place.”

Above: Norman Bennett provides eggs to IDEA Services residences around Invercargill.